Eefect of Half – Life on Drug Concentration Interaction using Mathematical Methods

Abstract

There are different factors that affect drug interaction. This interaction may be Pharmacokinetic or Pharmacodynamic. Either case can lead to decrease in efficacy or increase in toxicity of the drugs but, our concern in this paper is on the half-life of a drug. Here, we are looking at the half-life concentration of drugs taking anti-depressant drugs as a case study (Setraline and Tranylcypomine). In terms of half-life of a particular drug, it was shown that drugs with short half-lives are less susceptible to interaction than drugs with long half-lives. This fact is used to establish that in the administration of drugs to a patient (since patients receive at least 10 to 20 drugs at a goal), the half- life needs to be considered.

Keywords: Drug, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Half-Life.